Grill Tilapia (African Style) — Easy whole grilled Tilapia smothered in spices and herbs with an African spicy hot sauce for dipping.
If you’ve never grown up seeing, touching and eating whole fish, it can be an uncanny experience to have your dinner staring back at you. I remember bringing whole tilapia to a predominantly American potluck and no one would as much as look at it. My son thinks it ‘s creepy and that the fish would bite him.
However, you should have seen him swallowing the fish when it was cooked- no kidding! He did not chew it. What happen to the creepy fish? I guess it was too good to pass up on.
Ok, so when the attendees are mostly Africans, Asians or Caribbean it is a different story. Everyone just digs in- usually the fish is the first to go. I guess it is a cultural thing. In Africa, we never let anything go to waste. Some people love to lick, nibble, chew and completely eat the bones. The eyes staring back at you don’t scare anyone. In some households, you dare not get rid of the head or else you would be in seriously trouble. This was the case in my home.
In Africa, specifically West African, countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Ivory coast, Ghana you can find an array of grills in every street corner with women or even men selling some sort of grill fish. It is the quintessential nighttime or some would say after work meal for bachelors, students or even families.
Making grill fish at home is quite easy, there are countless variations each with it’s own unique taste. To be honest, I seldom make it the same. I usually go with the spices I have on hand but there are a few must have like garlic, black pepper, some fresh herbs (basil- my favorite, parsley, celery or thyme)
Here is the deal when grilling fish it is easier to grill when you use a grill fish basket – makes a difference (easy flipping).
I included grill ripe plantains they go great with grill fish. It is customary to serve grill fish with some sort of spicy sauce. Use this one here or your favorite sauce spicy hot sauce.
Watch How to Make It
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Grill Tilapia (African Style)
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Ingredients
- white fish (Sea bass red snapper, or tilapia
- 1-2 lemons
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoon whole white pepper
- 2 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1-2 African Nutmeg ehuru
- 7-10 garlic cloves
- 2 teaspoons anise seeds
- ½ inch ginger
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon chicken bouillon powder or cubes
- 1 piece 1/2 inch fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil parsley
- ¼ cup onions or ¼ medium onion
Instructions
- Make three –four diagonal cuts in each side of the fish, all the way right through the bone. Season fish with salt, pepper, and squeeze some lemon over it. Set aside
- Using a coffee grinder – grind all the dry spices – anise seeds, African nutmeg, white pepper and black pepper. Add to a bowl.
- Chop parsley, onion, basil, garlic, ginger, bouillon cubes and place in a food processor or blender. Blend/ pulse adding oil/water as needed until the ingredients are finely pureed. Add to the bowl of dry spices. Add paprika and more oil if need be . Mix thoroughly until all the spices come together
- Pour the marinade over the fish, and gently flip them back and forth until coated inside and out. Let it marinate in the fridge for up to 24hours
- Preheat to high heat.
- When you are ready to grill, Wipe down the grill basket with oil towel and them immediately lay the fish down in the fish casket. Let them grill for about 1-2 minutes on each side
- Reduce to medium high, then cover the grill if you have a gas grill
- If you are using a small bbq grill, leave the fish on the open grill or hot charcoal.
- Baste with fish spice
- Let the fish cook for a total of 4-5 minutes on each side, you may have to add a minute on two depending on the thickness of your fish until cooked – when fish is white and the juices must run clear.
- Check for doneness by making sure the meat closest to the bone is fully cooked – slash with a knife to check.
- Serve with pepper sauce and these grilled plantains.
Grilled Plantain
- Peel plantains
- Slice in the middle then cut in halve. Season with salt and brush with spice mix
- Grill on each side for about 3 minutes until fully cook through – watch carefully because they burn easily. Enjoy!
Tips & Notes:
- When grilling fish it is easier to grill when you use a grill fish basket – makes a difference (easy flipping).
Nutrition Information:
Margaret says
Thanks for this amazing recipe,i tried it and the fish taste divine.Keep up the good work.
ImmaculateBites says
Great ! Thanks for taking the time to share this with us.
Kathy says
I friend cooked me two pieces of grilled talapia with grain forget the name of it( reminds you of coucos. She covered it with chopped red, green, yellow peppers with onion, garlic, vinegar, salt, pepper and some spicy seasoning.
I ate so much and so fast I had to go to bed. Will be more careful for the other one that I’m going to reheat in a few.
Bye the way, going to west Africa in a couple of weeks for the very first time.
ImmaculateBites says
Thanks for sharing Kathy! I know you are going to have a blast out there with your tastebuds. Have a Safe and Fun Trip.
Fafa says
Hello,
There is a recipe that I loved from African a Bites, it was called “spicy roasted fish”. It was similar to this recipe, only oven baked and less herbs. I found it simple and delicious. Has it been removed from the site 🙁
Love your recipes by the way..
Thanks!
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Fafa! I haven’t removed any recipes . It must be this fish recipe here. Just updated pics with different fish. You can always reduce the amount of herbs to suit your taste. Thank you trying out my recipes.
Judith says
Hi, I love your recipe, it’s amazing. Please is anise seed the same thing as uziza seed?
ImmaculateBites says
Sorry I can’t say for sure.
gary says
Step 8. – Drink a beer
ImmaculateBites says
Gary, how could I forget step 8- the most important- Nice!
Nicky says
The spice mixture was just perfect, but I left the fish too long in oven and it got too dry. Hope to do better next time. Thanks Imma
Janne says
hey,
I just stumbled upon this while looking for recipes for grilled Tilapia as a whole, not just the filets, and it sounds and looks amazing! I will definitely try it, though i probably won´t be able to get that african nutmeg where I live… Anyway, I have no experience grilling fish, and since I don´t get it from the pictures, thats why I need to ask, did you scale off the fish beforehand or did you put it on the grill complete with scales?
Greetings from Germany 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
Hi Janne! The guys at the FishMarket , scale and cleaned it for me. However, I still do a clean sweep before grilling . Please let me know how it works out for you. Thanks!
yakubu Saleh says
thank U very much the fish is relly African i adapt the method in my hobby fish joint my customers enjoy it. thank once more i am in an African Country Nigeria Kano City
ImmaculateBites says
It’s great that you adapted this recipe and made it your own. I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to give me feedback . Thanks
Jehancancook says
Gah, I love a good roasted fish and this sounds full of flavor! I would eat this head and all.
ImmaculateBites says
That’s the only way to eat – girl!
Gina says
Love the story, love the whole fish. In Asia I feel like it’s the same way: everyone dives right in for all the funky parts of the fish – fins, cheeks, whatever! And then don’t forget to save the bone for a soup stock 🙂
ImmaculateBites says
kelsey , recipe has been updated. Thanks as always for the feedback.
kelsey says
Fish was delicious. But could you please clarify the quantity of black and white pepper. Is it 2 teaspoon whole or powder. Thanks a lot
Mispa says
Imma I tried this fish recipe yesterday and boy was it delicious!! I need to try your pepper sauce that goes with it next. Your green spice is another favorite one of mine. Now I have a folder where I print and keep the recipes I like. Girl you absolutely rock!!! Do you have a recipe for seafood salad with crabmeat?
ImmaculateBites says
Mispa , thanks for trying the recipes and am glad you liked them. Unfortunately at this time , I do not have seafood salad with crabmeat.
kelsey says
Gotcha. Regarding the black pepper is it two teaspoons of whole grind pepper then grind, Or 2 teaspoons in powder form. I did grind then used two teaspoons of the powder, not sure if the black pepper is too much because it tastes a little bitter lol. Will grill and see how it comes out. In the marinating stage now.
Charlene @ that Girl Cooks Healthy says
This fish looks SO divine, it reminds me of a fish from the Caribbean waters, the name has escaped my mind. Nevertheless, Afro-Caribbean people are very similar to their African kin folk with eating the fish, down to the bones (we suck them) to get every bit of protein we can possibly extract. I will sample this fish recipe on my next trip to the fishmonger.
kelsey says
Will definitely try this recipe this weekend . Looks yummy. Is African nutmeg different from the regular nutmeg? If so, where can i buy it. You meant 1 or 2 teaspoon of the nutmeg. I will be using the oven. Should it be grilled same way? Or any changes to make?. Thanks
ImmaculateBites says
Kelsey , African nutmeg goes under different aliases I upload a picture of it at the bottom. It is known as pepbe(sp.) in Cameroon .